Google appears to be ramping up a team to build mobile SoCs (system-on-chips) for tablets and smartphones – and perhaps aimed at doing away with Qualcomm chips in its devices.

The Web giant has posted ads for jobs in its hardware group – including at least half a dozen specifically for mobile SoC designers, trade journal EE Times reports.

Google launched its Pixel smartphones in October last year, based on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon SoC. It also hired David Foster, who formerly ran the Lab126 group that built Amazon’s Kindle device.

It has since posted listings for multiple mobile SoC architects. Widespread reports note the ads closely follow the recent appointment of Manu Gulati, a former senior Apple SoC developer, to Google. Watch this space …